Sweet Embrace
by SUGARCOMACUPCAKE
Summary: After the Ouran fair, everyone had a happy ending, right? Maybe that would be the case if there were no secrets. Secrets can be some of the most terrifying things in existence, yet everyone has them. The host club included. And every secret has a story.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I'd like to start off by saying that I sadly don't own Ouran Highschool Host Club. Also, I didn't write the poem in this chapter. If you'd like to know where I got it, PM me and I'll send you a link.**

"_On top of the roof  
The air is so cold and so calm  
Standing at the edge alone  
a single note in your palm,  
The eyes of the city  
Are counting the tears falling down  
Each one a promise  
Of a life you never found_

You open your eyes  
But you can't remember what for  
The snow falls quietly  
but you can't feel it anymore  
Somewhere out there  
You lost yourself in your pain  
Forgot your morals,  
and forgot your name

someone screams into the night for you  
Don't make it happen,  
don't make it true,  
Don't jump.  
These lights will not guide you through  
they are deceiving you!

But you would not hear what they have to say,  
you made your choice,  
to make it all go away.

Your arms at your sides begin to raise,  
as time seems to slow.  
You raise your head and lift your gaze,  
and the wind begins to blow.

The snow and ice freezing each tear,  
as you place your feet at the edge.  
You let go of your note and exhale your fear,  
as you let yourself fall off the ledge.

The wind whipping around you like a whipping slice,  
as you hurl towards the street below.  
Hitting the ground covered in ice,  
as you are buried six feet under the snow.

A single tear frozen in the snow chill,  
as all of the world stands painfully still.  
And the soul now lost,  
fell through the air but at what a cost?  
For all with sorrow now will fill." – Poet of the River

Kaoru winces at the sound of his alarm clock. He groggily reaches for his pillow to hold it over his ears to get just five more minutes of precious sleep. He's forced to open his eyes when all he grabs is air.

"Hikaru… turn off the clock…"

"No… too tired…"

After a few minutes of arguing, Kaoru finally slams his hand down on the annoying device. He pulls the cool, ivory sheets off of him and walks around the bed.

"Hikaru, you need to get up."

"Just a little longer…"

Hikaru groans into his pillow. Kaoru rolls his eyes and sits at the foot of the bed.

"Don't make me."

Hikaru's steady breathing could only mean that the idiot had fallen back into sleep. An evil smirk appears on Kaoru's face as he pulls the covers away from his brother's feet. He ever so carefully trails his fingernail across the exposed toes. In a matter of seconds Hikaru's eyes are wide open and he yanks his feet back under the sheets.

"Dang it, Kaoru! You know I hate it when you do that!"

Kaoru simply giggles, trying to say something about how it was the only way to get him up. A knock is heard at the door, and their identical twin maids glide into the room.

"Young master Hitachiins, what would you like for breakfast?"

They ask in unison. One of them writes as the mischievous duo rambles their orders.

_(Insert transition here)_

Haruhi sits up in bed when her clock goes off. She stretches and yawns, glancing at her books sprawled across her desk. As she's trying to remember if she got everything done, her father strides in and wraps her in a big hug.

"Haruhi, I got off of work early enough to see you this morning!"

Haruhi's head spins due to the sudden contact and overwhelming scent of alcohol and perfume. Once her thoughts are arranged, she returns the hug and lazily gets out of bed.

"Good morning, dad. How was work last night?"

"It wasn't very busy, that's why I got off early! Would you like me to make you some breakfast or something?"

"Nah, I'm fine."

"Alright, but if there's anything you need feel free to tell me sweetie!"

Ranka twirls out of the room, and Haruhi can't help letting a goofy smile onto her face.

_(Insert transition here)_

Something heavy is suddenly on top of Tamaki, causing him to open his eyes.

"Antoinette?"

Tamaki mumbles tiredly. The golden retriever instantly recognizes her name and plants several big, wet kisses on her owner's face. The blonde guffaws, his sleepiness suddenly diminished.

"Antoinette, stop, that tickles!"

Tamaki yells out giddily between laughs. Shima enters the room, almost unnoticeably smiling at the sight in front of her. Her elderly eyes are lucky enough to witness joy like this on several occasions.

"Master Tamaki, breakfast is already prepared for you downstairs."

"Thank you Shima!"

He beams brightly and tramples down the stairs like a little kid.

_(Insert transition here)_

"M-master Kyoya… it's t-time to wake up…"

The maid gulped. It was her turn to wake up Kyoya today. Not moments after she muttered those words, she heard a loud thud against the door, followed by the sound of breaking glass. A muffled wail escapes her lips as she reaches for the doorknob, hand shaking. She carefully opens the door, and gasps when she sees a cracked alarm clock on the ground along with a huge dent in the door. She fearfully decides he'll get up himself when she sees him sit up in bed.

_(Insert transition here)_

Mori walked through the hallway, not surprised to find a large group of servants arguing.

"No, you wake him up!"

"Are you crazy? I'm too young to die!"

"Have you heard the legends?"

Mori had gotten up early for kendo as usual, but Mitsukuni preferred to practice his martial arts at night. Mori considered it his responsibility to wake the small third year, considering everyone else is too scared to. He silently walks past the bickering servants and enters Honey's room.

"Mitsukuni, it's time to wake up."

It's rapidly quiet enough to hear a pin drop as Honey opens his chocolate eyes. The servants are about to scream, when Honey's angry face turns happy.

"Takashi!"

Honey glomps the taller boy, and the servants let out a sound of relief.

_(Insert transition here)_

"No, you do it like this. Ugh, how do the others tie their own ties?"

"They all have servants. We do too."

"Well at least this is faster."

Kaoru knots the final loop on Hikaru's tie as Hikaru does the same to Kaoru's. The pair stares at each other for a moment before making their way down the stairs of their manor. With Hikaru grabbing his sketchbook and Kaoru grasping Hikaru's hand, they're off.

_(Insert transition here)_

"Haruhi, are you sure you can't even wear a little pink or a little make up? Why do those nasty boys make you go to school as a guy?"

Ranka's pouting about Haruhi's appearance as usual.

"You're one to talk, dad."

Haruhi mutters with a chuckle. Ranka pulls his daughter into another embrace, happiness in his expression.

"Have fun at school today, kiddo."

"Alright, dad. Love you."

"Love you too!"

Haruhi picks up her schoolbag and begins the journey to the jungle that is Ouran Academy.

_(Insert transition here)_

Tamaki is admiring himself in the mirror, resulting in many fabulous poses. His glossy blonde hair, stunning violet eyes, and angel-sculpted face. He is absolute perfection and he knows it. Well, at least he thinks it. After quite some time of doing this, he's interrupted by Shima scolding him.

"Master Tamaki, I suggest you be hasty or else you'll be late for school."

Tamaki's face turns red at the sudden intrusion.

"O-ok! Sorry Shima!"

He rushes down the stairs, looking down to be sure he wasn't still in his pajamas. He didn't want a repeat of that one day. He grabs the bouquet of roses he's supposed to bring for the club and waltzes out the door. He doesn't even notice the strange looks from the maids and chauffer.

_(Insert transition here)_

Kyoya looks into the mirror and straightens his tie. He calculates numbers and statistics in his head while pondering what idiotic crap he'd have to deal with today. The twins might go too far with a prank, Haruhi might break something else, and Tamaki may have another breakdown. Heck, maybe Mori and Honey would get into some kind of trouble. You could never tell with the Ouran host club. At least it keeps things interesting. Kyoya adjusts his glasses and grips tightly onto his black book.

"Is my car ready?"

Kyoya asks one of his workers.

"Y-yes… M-master Kyoya…"

He sighs. They must not be over his "morning issues" yet. In fact they're still terrified of him. Kyoya sits in his car and drinks the coffee handed to him, savoring every drop.

_(Insert transition here)_

"Mitsukuni, your buttons are messed up."

Mori fixes his smaller cousin's buttons, earning a few "awe's" from the servants. Even they would swoon over how cute the duet is.

"Thanks Takashi!"

Mori hands Honey his Usa-chan and props the boy on his shoulders.

"Bye everyone!"

Honey says cutely, waving goodbye to everybody. The servants metaphorically faint once more as their masters leave the estate to go to school.

_(Insert transition here)_

This is how most mornings are for the host club. Not necessarily normal, but not completely odd. This morning, however, is different. It's the start of a new year. A new year could mean so many things. New friendships, new classes, and perhaps even romance. However, first things first. We'll be following in the footsteps of the wise Bisco Hatori in the sense that we'll be ignoring graduations and actual grade movements until a later time. Even so, there will most likely be new students at Ouran Academy. The host club has a job to do that's more important to them than figuring out their new schedules and responsibilities. That job is finding the new female students and trying to pique their interest in the host club. When the club reunites after the summer vacation, it's pretty joyful. Not that they don't see each other in the summer, but they definitely don't see one another as much with families like theirs. They're all very busy all summer long. Despite the "family reunion", as Tamaki puts it, they have business to attend to.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, are there any new students in your class?"

"Yep, there are three."

"Status?"

"Two of them seemed interested."

Kaoru starts.

"One doesn't."

Hikaru finishes. Kyoya looks down at his book and jots a few things down.

"Alright, Tamaki?"

They run down the list, Kyoya writing the entire time. They're in a bit of a hurry, considering the host club starts up soon.

"Where's my precious daughter?!"

The group turns their heads, looking around the room.

"Someone better go find her. She can't be late on the first day, that sure wouldn't help profits."

"On it!"

The twins salute, just as Haruhi busts in through the door, out of breath.

"Sorry I'm late guys. I lost track of time while studying."

Kyoya interrupts.

"According to my calculations, we'll have a slight profit increase this year if things go as planned… which they probably won't."

"What's that supposed to mean, mommy?"

The blonde pouts, but the shadow king ignores him.

"Alright, the club opens in twenty minutes. Let's remind them of how much they missed us."

It may seem cruel, but Kyoya's looking forward to exploiting the fact that the girls probably missed them so much. It will certainly increase profits. Everyone begins to set up the pink music room. Setting up tables, shaking out dusty tablecloths. They are all reminded of the sweet smell of roses and cake, though they all know that after a few weeks or months the scent will be nothing if not sickening.

"Hey Honey-senpai, did that one girl transfer back?"

Kaoru asks, a twinge of fear in his voice.

"Who, Kao-chan?"

"What was her name…? Y'know, the one who was creepily always over-happy, had really weird hair and eye colors, and was always trying to flirt with all of us?"

"Not to mention she'd hang around us all the time too. I'm all for making new friends, but there's this thing called space."

Hikaru and Kaoru rant, Honey suddenly remembers.

"You mean Mary Sue? Nope, I didn't see her. Did you, Takashi?"

"Nope."

The twins' shoulders relax a little when they finish placing the vases.

"Men, it's time to get into position!"

All seven of them are in place as the door opens five minutes early. This is exactly why Kyoya always stresses getting ready early, especially on the first day. If girls are told about the club they probably won't know what time it starts. As rose petals fly out the door, they notice the girl is a new face. They immediately leap into action, specifically Tamaki.

"Rose petals…? What the-"

They hear the girl mutter, as Tamaki pulls her into a squeeze. They all didn't even get the chance to say "welcome" in unison.

"Welcome, princess! What's your name?"

The girl looks genuinely taken aback and annoyed. She doesn't even seem to notice the six others standing there until her hand forms into a fist. She looks at all of them and must decide there are too many witnesses. With a deep breath, she answers the question.

"My name's Cho. Would you get off me?"

Tamaki doesn't seem to notice her agitation, despite how blunt it is. He lets go of her and gestures towards the rest of the members.

"Allow me to introduce you to everyone!"

"What?! Does this mean they're all like you?!"

Cho sounds horrified. Tamaki turns 180 degrees, and signals now towards an empty space in the humungous music room.

"First off, we have Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin, first years, the mischievous type!"

Hikaru and Kaoru do as they were trained to do. They take their specified place in the empty space and embrace each other. Cho looks at them oddly, blinking furiously.

"Meet Kyoya Ootori, second year, the cool type!"

Kyoya is all of a sudden to the right of Hikaru and Kaoru. Everyone in the room is surprised.

"How did he…?"

"When did he…?"

Haruhi and Cho's questions are disregarded.

"Let me introduce you to Mitsukuni Haninozuka, or Honey, third year, the boy-lolita type! Let's not forget his partner, Takashi Morinozuka, or Mori, also a third year, the strong and silent type!"

Honey skips into the other side of the space, Mori walking casually behind him. Honey glomps him, laughing cheerfully, then climbs onto his shoulders.

"That kid's a third year?!"

"And me, Tamaki Suoh, second year, the princely type!"

Tamaki takes his stance in the center of everyone and holds out a rose. Cho's eye starts twitching.

"Finally, our newest member, Haruhi Fujioka, first year, the natural type!"

Haruhi is shoved into the circle, almost stumbling over. At her name, however, Cho's eyes widen.

"Haruhi…Fujioka?"

She whispers softly.

"Why do I get I sense of déjà vu?"

Hikaru whispers to his twin, who just shrugs.

"Hey, Cho."

"Yep, this has definitely happened somewhere before."

Kaoru whispers back. Cho steps by all of them and up to Haruhi.

"Why're you pretending to be a guy?"

The host club's faces go pale. This is a code red; I repeat this is a code red.

"You know?!"

Tamaki yells, not hiding the fact that he's upset at all.

"Guys, calm down. She's just a friend I went to middle school with."

Haruhi turns back to Cho.

"To answer your question, I'm pretending to be a guy because I want to be in this club."

Cho makes a face that seems like a scowl.

"Why would you want to be in this club? It's the stupidest thing I've ever seen."

"Way to be frank…"

The twins murmur under their breath as Tamaki's agony multiplies.

"I can't argue with that, it is pretty stupid, but it's fun. And these guys might be idiots, but you gotta love them after a while. To be honest I first joined because of this vase I broke, but I paid it off."

Cho still seems baffled, but she shakes it off. The rest of the club members are whispering behind them.

"Anyway, do you wanna hang out or something to catch up?"

"I can't, the club's starting any minute now. But you're free to stay."

"As awful as that sounds, I guess I can stick around for a while."

That's the story of how they (Haruhi) got their first new customer of the year. A bit discouraging, to say the least, but that won't stop the Ouran highschool host club. Everything through the day seemed to go normally. Well, as normal as the host club gets.

Hikaru whispers into Kaoru's ear. A few moments later, Kaoru's face is bright red and his hand covers his mouth.

"H-Hikaru!"

"Eek! What did he say? What did he say?"

At Haruhi's table, things are as… well, natural as ever.

"Haruhi, what did you do this summer?"

"Well, it was really hot a lot of the time, but when it was a little cooler I'd go on walks. I spent most of my time reading though. Whenever they'd describe a pretty girl, I'd think about you ladies."

Sparkles and rose petals surrounded her face as the girls' hearts leapt. Why she's the natural type… that didn't seem natural at all. But hey, I'm just the author… or narrator… or whatever. Tamaki is doing just as Kyoya wanted.

"Tamaki, how'd you spend your summer vacation?"

"It was quite wonderful, princess, but without you there… there was a hole in my heart I simply couldn't fill."

And last, but definitely not least, Mori and Honey were up to their normal stuff.

"Takashi, where did I put Usa-chan?"

Honey cried with teary eyes.

"Right here."

Mori hands Honey the stuffed rabbit and is hugged.

"Yay! Thanks Takashi!"

"Awwww…"

You can hear the girls from a mile away. Their squeals are exceptionally loud; their voices had a break all summer. The first day of the club is slowly coming to a close. Cho and Haruhi stand up, ready to leave. However, to her surprise, Cho slips on a banana peel. She frantically tries to catch herself, but is caught by Haruhi. Haruhi doesn't seem to see any significance to it, but all eyes are on them. Time stops for a moment. Cho gets a brilliant idea. She has no idea why she does it, or how it would benefit her at all. She'd like to say it's for Haruhi's sake.

"Are you ok?'

The brunette asks, still holding her buddy in what could be considered an awkward position. Cho, out of the blue, throws her arms around Haruhi and squeals.

"Haruhi, you're my hero!"

Haruhi's stunned but quickly catches on, pulling Cho back to her feet. Every other girl in the room starts flipping out about how amazing and heroic Haruhi is.

"Well done."

Kyoya comments, still writing. Cho simply drags Haruhi out of the room, glad the entire thing is over.

_(Insert transition here)_

"Kaoru?"

Kaoru blinks, the sound of his twin's voice taking far too long to reach him.

"K-Kaoru?"

Something shakes in Hikaru's voice, almost as subtle as a delicate whisper. A gentle hand on Kaoru's arm awakes him from his trance.

"Hm? What?"

"You were zoned out. You sure you're feeling ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Uncomfortable speechlessness overtakes them. It's broken after what seems like eternity.

"You've been doing that a lot lately…"

"Doing what?"

"Dunno, just thinking… not answering me."

Kaoru shrugs and lies back on the couch.

"You know I have a lot on my mind right now."

"But why? What is the 'a lot on your mind'?"

"You don't know. That's the problem."

"I thought that might be it."

"Something just randomly sets it off sometimes."

Could it be the something they thought was missing?

"Well, just don't worry about it too much, ok?"

"Ok."

"You wanna start our homework?"

"That's a good idea."

Despite what he'd told Hikaru, Kaoru's mind continued to race on about something other than algebra. That's what worries him the most.

_(Insert transition here)_

"My grandmother's not very happy with me, Kyoya…"

"That doesn't surprise me."

A pang of guilt crosses Kyoya's usually emotionless mentality.

"But… should I be happier that way?"

Kyoya looks up from his computer screen, now a bit intrigued.

"What do you mean?"

"I know it's a bad thing. I'll never see my mother again and I probably won't be the heir to the Suohs. But I'm… happy, right?"

"Are you asking me whether or not you're truly happy? Because I can't answer that Tamaki."

"I know… but is it right to be happy?"

"Isn't that what you strive for?"

"B-but Kyoya… that's not what you strive for."

"Who ever said my way of doing things is right?"

"Well your family isn't torn apart…"

Tamaki's voice slowly diminishes, Kyoya looks up almost alarmed.

"T-Tamaki…"

Kyoya isn't sure how to respond. He can tell by the way Tamaki curls up into a ball that the moron hadn't meant to let that slip.

"Look, Tamaki, I know things must be tough for you right now. But you always have us."

Tamaki lets a beautiful smile onto his face and stands up. He digs through his desk drawer for a few minutes, confusing Kyoya.

"Tamaki, what are you looking for?"

The blonde buffoon comes back a moment later with a photo in his hand. Kyoya looks at it and right away recognizes the woman in the picture as Tamaki's mother.

"Will you take it, Kyoya?"

"W-what?"

Kyoya's extremely shaken face makes Tamaki chuckle.

"I'm always so afraid that my grandmother's going to find it and do something to my mom. Please take it, or at least keep it safe."

"Tamaki… I don't know what to say…"

"Well, will you?"

"I-I don't see why not."

As Kyoya takes the photograph from his friend, he almost feels a warmth of sorts radiating from it. The raven-haired teen is smart enough to know how much this picture means to Tamaki. It's all he has left from his mother. Could it be Tamaki's trying to forget? He mentally decides to protect the gift with his life.

"Thanks, mommy."

"No problem, daddy."

_(Insert transition here)_

"Takashi…?"

The miniature third year cautiously approaches his sleeping cousin. The towering boy shifts a little on the couch before lazily opening his eyes.

"It happened again."

Mori is suddenly up, aware, and ready to fight.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, but I'm not sure how much longer I'll be. Sorry for waking you up, even though you told me to wake you if it happened…"

Mori shakes his head and sits up. Mori looks at his cousin's exhausted expression. Without a single word he pulls him into a hug. If only he could tell him. If only he had the words.

_(Insert transition here)_

The door to Haruhi's apartment clicks open and the shivering friends pace inside. What some may call casual conversation takes place. It's a simple day, a simple meeting. However, only someone truly involved could sense the tension. Too many questions lingered, questions they're afraid to ask. Yet for some reason they expect them to be asked. Possible answers that aren't the truth but aren't lies buzz in their heads. Nothing of the sort is said. Even when Ranka came back, even during the goodbye, the tension never fades. It seems like a good thing at first, but worries of what the other person might know overshadow it. That's why Cho becomes a cleaner at the host club. The fear is too great. That's why Haruhi stays in the host club. The fear is too great. You must stay around the people you think may know too much, just so you can be sure they don't.

_(Insert transition here)_

Hikaru draws away in his sketchbook while everyone else is at work.

"Dude, are you going to help?"

"I'm inspired right now; I can't let it slip away from me again. It'll drive me crazy."

"Isn't Cho supposed to be doing this?"

"Where is she anyway? She's making us do all her work."

The conversing twins turn their heads to their dumb leader.

"Boss, go get Cho."

The redheads utter in unity.

"Why can't one of you doppelgangers do it? I'm helping my wonderful daughter with her French homework!"

"Well we can't,"

"If we don't know where she is."

"She went to go get cleaning supplies from the janitor's closet. Maybe she got lost."

Haruhi suggests, head buried in her French book.

"C'mon Hikaru, let's-"

"Inspired!"

Kaoru sighs, wondering if Hikaru's just drawing stick figures to get out of doing any labor whatsoever. He wouldn't put it past him.

"Fine, I'll get her, but just because you're hecka lazy."

"I love you too, brother."

Kaoru steps out of the room, fuming in his head. Why did he have to do it? So what if Honey and Mori were talking to teachers about assignments? So what if Haruhi was doing homework? So what if Kyoya was "financing"? He sighs. There's no point in complaining, even if it is just in his head. It doesn't take long for him to find Cho rummaging through the janitor's closet near the end of the hallway.

"What's taking you so long?"

"I'm trying to find something."

Kaoru stands there awkwardly for a few moments while Cho searches through the shelves of soap. She comes out of the closet with a bottle, looking satisfied.

"Let's go."

The two walk back towards the music room in silence. A sudden chill fills the air. Eyes widen and veins pulse. The room stills, Cho stops walking. Kaoru's about to question when there's almost what seems like a spark.

"KAORU!"

A shriek, a leap, and a breath. Blood pours from the gash on Cho's face. Kaoru's eyes enlarge, his mouth wide open, not having any idea what just happened. A moment of panic, a moment of weakness. She turns around, grabs Kaoru by the shirt collar and grits her teeth.

"Don't you dare tell anyone about this and forget this ever happened."

She says it calmly, yet petrified, but angry. Cho drops everything and runs off, down the hallway. Kaoru wouldn't be able to keep the promise, because somebody already knew.

**A/N: I have a small request. I'd appreciate it if you'd review or PM me what two host club members you'd like to see in the next chapter! (Feel free to get creative!) And I have another question. Do you think Cho is a Mary Sue? I don't think she is, but I think my opinion might be slightly biased. Reviews are encouraged and appreciated! Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I still don't own Ouran Highschool Host Club, but I've almost saved up enough to- *assistant whispers into my ear* Oh… apparently eight million yen is the cost of the vase, not the show… Oh well, enjoy the poem that I did in fact write this time and the story.**

_Thread by thread,_

_Piece by piece,_

_That's how things are bound together,_

_Correct?_

_As time passes,_

_Things that are bound together fall apart._

_I beg, I hope, I plead that we're an exception._

_The universe doesn't do exceptions._

_This is what drives my hatred of time,_

_My hatred of so many things._

_However, the one thing I can never bring myself to despise,_

_Is the bond itself._

_Oh, what pain it causes,_

_But without it I'm nothing._

_I'm only half of one,_

_Half might as well be nothing._

_At least when he's the other half._

_This bond I have with him,_

_It's intoxicating._

_It's like some sort of drug._

_I must never stop learning or thinking about it._

_I can feel it breaking as I do these things,_

_It's driving me to legitimate insanity._

_He's been affected too._

_It started with unusual violent or aggressive lashes,_

_Now he has a weird mark on the right side of his face._

_The fact that we're displaying different symptoms is only more proof._

_The bond is breaking._

_It's really strange._

_I feel the sudden bursts of anger,_

_But I have no desire to hurt anyone._

_I know he has similar thoughts._

_But his head doesn't explore them like mine does._

_The question is simple._

_How far away from each other are we?_

_We used to be one being, perfectly in sync._

_It's no surprise that our entity is splitting against our will._

_If we were to just let go,_

_The fighting, insanity and aggression would end._

_But we'd be broken._

_The mere thought of that makes me nauseous._

_The bond,_

_Our entity,_

_Is everything._

_(Kaoru's POV)_

Cho's footsteps become gradually quieter until the hall is silent once again. I'm still gawking. What just happened? Why did she…? I groan. Now not only am I confused, Hikaru and I are actually going to have to do work. I pick up the bottle of soap that she dropped and walk back to the host club.

"Where's Cho?"

Hikaru asks, suspiciously not drawing anymore.

"She… went home… sick."

"Sounds like she's trying to get out of cleaning."

"You're one to talk."

I walk over to where the smudged window is and confusedly examine the bottle.

"Haruhi, do you know how to use this?"

"_Oui_."

She sighs, rolling her eyes and standing.

"Great job, Haruhi! You'll be fluent in no time!"

Tamaki squeals, proud of his "daughter" for her "amazing French". Haruhi grunts and takes the bottle from me, raising an eyebrow.

"You don't know how to use Windex?"

"Am I supposed to?"

"Rich bastards…"

"Use your French!"

Tamaki yells, interrupting.

"Ugh ... _Excusez-moi_, Tamaki-senpai. _Salauds__de riches_…"

"Hey! Who taught you that word?! Daddy does not approve of his daughter using such horrific language!"

"_Je__fais mes recherches_. "

"I'm not an expert in French, but I'm pretty sure that she just said that in Japanese and you had no problem with it."

Tamaki ignores my observation and instead keeps blubbering.

"Why would you talk back to your father?!"

"_Vous n'êtes pas__mon père_."

Tamaki returns to the dreaded emo corner while Haruhi turns to look at me.

"Are you sure you're not the one avoiding your job?"

"Well that's not very nice."

Haruhi sprays the window and wipes it off with a cloth, staring at me with a blank face.

"Would that have been so hard?"

"I just asked how to do it. I didn't ask you to."

"You two better hurry up. The club opens in a few minutes."

Kaoru smirks and goes back to Hikaru. Haruhi just brushes it off and sits at her table.

_(Third person's POV)_

"Princess, I can't begin to express the joy you bring me. Without you, the sun may as well not rise, if I cannot see its light shine on your breathtaking face."

Tamaki's fangirl of the day blushes a deep red. She seems deeply moved.

"Oh, Tamaki!"

_(Insert transition here)_

"Kyoya, did you turn Tamaki into such a handsome gentleman?"

"No, I believe he's always been that way. If you truly feel that way about him, I have an autobiography about him for sale. It's a limited time offer."

"I'll take three copies!"

_(Insert transition here)_

"Takashi, look what I found!"

Honey skipped to Mori and placed rabbit ears on his head.

"See? Aren't they cute?"

"Yeah."

Honey puts a pair on himself then looks at the guests with big, sparkling eyes.

"Awww!"

The ladies exclaim, almost bursting from cuteness overload.

_(Insert transition here)_

"Haruhi, was it scary saving that one girl yesterday?"

"It really wasn't a big deal."

She gives a nearly unnoticeable blush.

"But it was so heroic! I never thought you had it in you!"

"I guess if you say so. You're too kind."

She smiles and hearts swivel around her guests' heads.

"He's so humble!"

The fangirls squeal excitedly.

_(Insert transition here)_

Kaoru sets the tray of cake and tea onto the table and sits on the couch. Hikaru, not too far behind him, "trips" and falls on top of Kaoru. Kaoru's face turns bright red.

"H-Hikaru…"

"Oops, sorry Kaoru."

Kaoru's face darkens. Hikaru catches this and holds his brother's chin.

"What's wrong, Kaoru? Having naughty thoughts about me again?"

"Hikaru! I don't think like that!"

"Of course not."

Hikaru runs his finger along Kaoru's chin while the girls squeal their faces off.

_(Tamaki's POV)_

I glance at Haruhi enviously. Antoinette's been cuddling with her ever since she got here. She was supposed to come over to help me with my math. I pout.

"Why doesn't Antoinette love me?"

"I'm sure she does, she's just interested in me because I'm new."

I continue to watch as my dog snuggles and kisses my precious Haruhi.

"Antoinette! That tickles!"

She laughs and I must admit it's adorable.

"You want to get started on your math?"

Haruhi asks, snapping me out of my daze.

"Yeah."

_(Honey's POV)_

"Takashi! Look what I found!"

I run to my cousin, crumpled up piece of paper in hand. Mori took the paper and read it aloud.

"If you ever want to see your precious Usa-chan again, you'll show up at the warehouse behind Ouran Academy with ten million yen."

"Takashi, what're we gonna do?"

Mori stands up and punches his palm.

"Good idea!"

Mori drives us to the school, our nerves wracking.

"You ready to fight, Takashi?"

"Yeah."

We tip-toe behind the school and stand at the door of the warehouse. Mori busts the door down, revealing a seven foot tall Kuma-chan.

"You've arrived."

Kuma-chan mutters with an evil laugh as he takes his stance.

"Go, Takashi!"

We leap into the air, ready to attack, when I wake up. I rub my eyes, look around the room, laugh, then fall back into slumber.

_(Hikaru's POV)_

I wake up due to the lack of warmth against me. I squint to see in the dark room. Kaoru's not next to me. I sit up and glance in the direction of the bathroom. The light's off. I jump out of bed and step out of our room into the hallway. He might be sleepwalking again. I've heard too many stories about people who get killed while sleepwalking. I tip-toe through the mansion, searching everywhere. I don't find him.

"Crap… where is he?"

I think out loud. A dark figure dances across my vision. Shutting my eyes, I breathe deeply.

"Dang it, not this again…"

I follow the figure, running faster than I ever thought I could. My breathing grows heavier and faster. I'm taken out the door and through the city. I feel no fatigue, blinded by something. It's almost as if I'm being pulled. I pretend I don't know what it is. Feigning ignorance is the most logical option at this point. Once I can finally see again, I'm in the middle of nowhere. Face to face with piercing eyes. I hop back with a scowl. My stance is threatening and my teeth are bared. This creep has my brother. I have no time to say or do anything. The strange person turns to look at me, then back to Kaoru.

"I thought you said you'd come alone."

He grumbles, not sounding happy.

"I-I did."

Kaoru replies. He sounds so helpless. What the heck did he do?

"I can't just let him leave."

The weird guy explains, purposely having it sound like a threat.

"Don't-"

Kaoru yells out desperately, but is interrupted by the delinquent.

"Quiet! Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ryuu."

He gives a bow and tilts his face up. I can scarcely see the moonlight illuminating his unsettling smile. How dumb is he to give his name? That's not important right now.

"Kaoru, are you hurt?"

Instead of answering, my brother looks at me like I'm crazy. His eyes scream "run!"

"Hikaru you have to get out-"

Ryuu puts one of his filthy hands over my twin's mouth and reaches into his back pocket.

"I suggest you don't tell anyone about this and pretend this never happened."

The moon reveals a knife in Ryuu's hand. I hold back a laugh. This guy really is dense.

"Cut me up all you want, just let him go."

I step forward, a bit full of myself, and in that moment the blade goes from pointed at me to against Kaoru's neck.

"Ah, ah, ah. Any closer and he dies."

Time stops. I fill with fear, matching my twin more than ever before. I find myself unable to move. Terror courses through my body.

"Kaoru…"

I call out to him, incapable of doing anything else. What am I doing? I need to be brave. I need to save Kaoru.

"Let him go!"

I shout, my hands forming into fists. I'm trembling. I can't take much more of this.

"Why should I? I have him wrapped around my finger, obviously."

Ryuu proceeds to toy with Kaoru's hair, not moving the dagger an inch. My anger builds. I take a miniscule step forward.

"Don't you dare touch him!"

I growl, adrenalin running through my veins.

"Don't touch him? You mean like this?"

With a disturbing giggle, that bastard scratches my Kaoru's face with his nail deep enough to draw blood. Kaoru winces in pain, not daring to move. He stays silent, but I can tell he feels like screaming. Whether it's me or him getting hurt, it doesn't really make a difference. I hate the thought of anyone touching my Kaoru in any way.

"S-stop it!"

I yell, hoping Ryuu's oblivious to the fact that there's a whimper hidden behind it. I move back, afraid the weapon in Ryuu's possession would be used if I didn't.

"You're so clueless. I obviously know more about him than you ever will."

This guy's not right in the head.

"Stop-"

"Silence!"

Just when Kaoru got brave enough to speak, Ryuu yells in his face and tightens the grip on his knife.

"You know what, I don't want to stop."

He flicks Kaoru in the shoulder where he'd gotten a bruise a few days ago. Kaoru grimaces. I still don't know where the bruise came from. How did Ryuu know about it? Is he the one who put it there? My fury escalates to a point where I feel as if I might explode.

"Stop it! Please just… I'll take his place!"

I'm astonished to hear a deep snicker from Ryuu.

"No way! This one has the power I desire, power that most could only dream of! Kaoru's mine."

He flicks my brother's forehead. Is he slowly revealing his entire plan? Despite that, I flinch. Kaoru isn't a weakling, but he's not necessarily strong either. I feel hot tears of anguish stream down my face. I'm barely able to keep myself from collapsing to the ground.

"Please don't hurt my brother…"

I beg. I don't care when or how, this man will pay for the way he's treating my twin. I'm forced to sit here and watch my Kaoru be tormented. I bite my lip until it bleeds. I need him. I'm shaking, using every ounce of everything I have left in me to not reach out to him.

"Wow, you're persistent. It's actually quite annoying."

Ryuu releases my brother, who coughs violently as he crumples to the ground. I try to go to him, but Ryuu blocks the way.

"If he gets hurt, it's all your fault."

Ryuu lunges forward at me, knife pointed outwards.

"Hikaru!"

Kaoru shrieks. I duck. This guy has terrible aim. I'm not finished with him. My eyes glaze over with color.

"Stop! Just stop! This is all my fault!"

Kaoru dashes over to us and grabs Ryuu's arm. Sorrow and worry fill his amber eyes. Ryuu turns around and slashes Kaoru's arm.

"Ah!"

Kaoru's screeches in agony and wraps his hand around the wound. Blood seeps through his fingers, the smell becoming overwhelming after only a few moments.

"Brat should learn his place."

The cold night air envelopes me. My head is on the verge of insanity. I lose sense itself. I don't acknowledge anything else. This man just hurt Kaoru. My hands work on their own, grabbing Ryuu in a head lock. I'm about to snap his neck in one swift movement when I hear sobs.

"H-Hikaru… d-don't…"

Why the heck does he not want me to kill this guy? I punch Ryuu as hard as I can in the back of the head and chuck him carelessly to the ground. He's unconscious. I reach Kaoru as rapidly as I can and wrap him in my arms.

"Please tell me you're ok."

"I'll be o-ok…"

"I need to get help."

My mind is frantically racing. I don't have a car or a phone. I look around for the first time since I got here. I recognize this place. It's a field milord took us to once when he declared the club should have a "commoner's field day". The school's not too far from here. I could run there and use the phone in the office. I pick up my shivering brother and hold him against me, afraid to ever let go again.

"Hikaru, I can-"

"Shhh…"

Kaoru gives up and dozes off in my grasp. I sprint the approximate mile to the school. I clomp up the stairs and lay my brother's cold body onto the couch in music room 3. This is the one place I really feel safe. He opens his eyes. I take off my nightshirt and wrap it around his injured arm and apply pressure.

"If somebody walks in, this isn't going to look right."

"C'mon Kaoru, it's like two in the morning… besides, your arm's more important than that."

I open the closet and find a blanket. I wrap it around Kaoru's shoulders.

"I'm going to the office to call a doctor."

"I don't need a- ah!"

Out of the blue, Kaoru yelps deafeningly and holds his head. He almost half faints. I immediately face him again, panicked.

"What is it? What did he do to you?"

I feel his forehead. He feels strangely cold for a moment, but right after that he looks completely fine. Without warning my anxiety is replaced with rage. I grip his arm forcefully.

"Who the heck was that guy? Why were you with him! What did he want? Why would you even-"

"Hikaru, you're hurting me!"

My frenzy is entirely gone in a mere millisecond. What was that about? Why did I randomly start acting that way? Tears fill my eyes. I hurt him more than Ryuu even had intentions of doing.

"K-Kaoru… I…"

I'm hugged.

"It's ok. I understand."

"I was just so worried… don't ever scare me like that again…"

"I'm sorry. There's so much I've been keeping from you."

He's been keeping secrets from me? How? Is that part of it? I gently put my finger to his lips. It doesn't matter right now. He's safe, I'm safe, and we're safe.

"It's ok… you're safe now…"

I whisper into his ear. We hold each other, knowing we can't let go. We'll never let go. I remove my shirt from Kaoru's arm and trace my finger along the cut. He cringes ever so slightly.

"Don't do that…"

He mumbles. Only we know what he truly means.

"Why not?"

"But Hika… I don't want you to feel-"

"Pain."

We both finish the sentence with that cursed word. I grab Kaoru's hand and entwine my fingers with his.

"Your pain is my pain. It doesn't matter to me if no one else understands."

I say ever so softly, Kaoru joining in somewhere at the halfway point. I once again trace my finger along the lesion and let my eyes flash orange and blue. Kaoru's do the same. The cut's magically cut in half. One half is removed from Kaoru's arm and placed into mine. I grin at the sting as our eyes return to normal.

"Hika, why'd I let you do that?"

The guilt on his face is heartbreaking.

"Because I love you."

We're both exhausted, naturally. I join Kaoru under the blanket and we fall asleep almost instantly, hands together. As long as we're one, Ryuu or anything else doesn't stand a chance.

**A/N: Well, I don't really have anything to say. Reviews are encouraged and appreciated! Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

"_We were once the youngest of toddlers,  
Playing recklessly without concern,  
But how the tides have changed,  
What I had is now what I yearn._

We were the best of friends,  
I loved him to no end,  
But as the days passed by,  
It was getting harder and harder to pretend.

The truth was I was in love,  
With the charming boy next door,  
Our friendship was unique,  
But it grew to be so much more.

We dated for a few,  
It was the happiest years of my life,  
We gave everything to each other,  
And he even asked for me to be his wife.

You see, it was everything that I wanted,  
It seemed too good to be true,  
He made me believe in love,  
Amid all the struggles we went through.

He was a special man,  
He stood out from all the rest,  
He was so selfless at times,  
And that's why he was truly the best.

But as we inevitably grew older,  
We left our youth behind,  
It was time to let go of the past,  
There was no use in being blind.

The truth was I was deeply in love,  
With the fragile man next door,  
No matter how much I denied his fate,  
I knew it was time for his spirit to soar.

The day came when he left my side,  
It was a cold and gloomy night,  
I still remember that day so clearly,  
I held onto him with all my might.

It was the last I saw of him,  
The last study of his face,  
But it doesn't really matter because  
Our memories cannot be erased.

My heart bruises easily,  
As I sit alone late at night,  
But I often reassure myself,  
Because I know that I'll be all right.

Nothing has really changed,  
Nothing that I can see,  
Even though he's not here right now,  
I still feel his presence next to me.

The story of our love,  
Is an endless story never to be lost,  
I don't know if I will ever see him again,  
But I always keep my fingers crossed.

My heart is slowly adjusting,  
To continue life without that charmer,  
But I know that I will never be alone because  
He will always be my knight in shining armor." – Margery Wang

It all starts as the host club's usual antics. Tamaki's chasing the twins around for whatever reason; Kyoya's working and ignoring them. Honey and Mori are talking about their latest martial arts victory. Cho's cleaning. She has to do all of the work today because she ditched. Kyoya can truly be heartless at times.

"You perverts! Get back here right now!"

"You're one to talk, boss!"

"What's got senpai all worked up?"

Haruhi asks Kyoya, raising her eyebrow. The shadow king just shrugs.

"You think I pay attention to that kind of thing?"

"Well you always seem to know everything…"

She mumbles and turns around to the sound of a generator. Cho stumbles backwards, startled. As Renge rises with her maddening laugh, Cho was centimeters away from where the floor separated.

"I was just trying to sweep…"

"There's a lot to get used to around here."

Renge ignores the girls' conversation below and grabs a microphone out of what appears to be thin air.

"Is this a race, I'm seeing? Can I be the announcer?"

Tamaki and the twins stop running, puzzled.

"We weren't racing, I was chasing those evil twins!"

"Phony races, and a phony prince."

An arrow jabs Tamaki in the stomach.

"Where did that arrow come from?"

"I'm not complaining."

"As the host club's manager, I declare that we're holding a race right now!"

A projector screen lowers from the ceiling, a map of the Ouran campus appears. Renge points at the image as she speaks.

"You'll be running from music room 3, around the campus and back!"

Hikaru and Kaoru decide to interject.

"What's the point in racing,"

"If we don't get a prize?"

Renge giggles and spins around on her platform.

"If you lose, you'll have to go on a date with me!"

Silence fills the room. Nobody wants that.

"Men, line up!"

Renge shouts before any of them have time to object. All of them do as told except for Kyoya. Nobody here can force Kyoya to do anything.

"Ready, set, go!"

They all take off. Cho plops down on the couch next to Kyoya.

"I'm glad everyone knows I'm a girl so I don't have to participate. You'd think I'd have met Renge by now if she's really the manager. Who do you think will lose?"

Only the last sentence grabs the raven-haired teen's attention.

"It will most likely be Haruhi. She's the least athletic out of all of us. Renge knows that. That's probably why she said the loser will get a date with her."

"So she likes Haruhi? I'm guessing she doesn't know she's a girl."

He nods.

"Some manager…"

"But you never know. Have you finished your cleaning duties?"

Cho slowly stands up and continues to sweep with a sigh.

_(Insert transition here)_

"Woah! Suoh is ahead, Honey and Mori close behind! This is getting intense, folks!"

"Who is she announcing to?"

Hikaru asks.

"As long as she's happy… Renge's scary when she blows up."

The duo glances at the back of them, unsurprised to see Haruhi at least five feet behind.

"Why are the others trying so hard? We're barely jogging and it's obvious that Haruhi's going to lose."

"I feel bad for her. A date with Renge is horrifying even to think about."

"I can hear you guys!"

By now, Haruhi has accepted her fate. It's only one date. She's more afraid of how Tamaki and her dad will react. After a while, she goes through the host club's door, out of breath.

"Looks like Haruhi lost. Guess we're going on a date!"

Renge exclaims, obviously overjoyed.

"Wait, where's Tama-chan?"

Honey's issue reaches Renge's ears. Her big brown eyes scan the room, her face going pale. The idiot in question runs into the room.

"Ha! Those chumps are-"

Tamaki looks up at the people staring him down.

"How did you beat me? I was flying in first!"

"Tamaki, did you run around the entire campus?"

Kyoya interjects.

"Well, yeah! Those were the rules, right?"

"If you had been paying attention to Renge's presentation of the map, you would know that you were supposed to take a shortcut between the north and east buildings."

Realization sets in. Tamaki's face turns as white as Renge's.

"Looks like Renge and boss are going out!"

It would be an understatement to say the twins began laughing their faces off after yelling the obvious.

_(Insert transition here)_

Somehow, Haruhi, Hikaru, Kaoru, Cho, Mori and Honey ended up spying on the "lovebirds". Kyoya didn't go because he was too busy not caring. However, considering there are six people trying to hide in a bush ten feet away, some problems were bound to arise. The occasional elbow to someone's side, the feeling of leaves tickling someone's nose, these things made it extremely difficult to stay quiet.

"I can't hear them!"

"I want to see boss suffer!"

The twins whine, at the front of the pack of people behind the bush.

"That's nice…"

Haruhi mumbles, near the back. Mori, actually thinking ahead, brought Honey some cake to keep him occupied.

"It is nice."

"Hey, look! They're talking!"

_(Insert transition here)_

I still blame those evil twins for this mess. Here I am, on a date with Renge of all people. The girl isn't making it any easier. We're sitting at our table at an outdoor café, and she's just staring into space looking bored. I suppose my hosting skills should be coming in handy right about now, but she calls me phony every time I say anything! I guess I have to try.

"Uh, so Renge…"

She looks up, still looking bored out of her mind. She sets her elbow on the table and balances her head on her fist.

"What?"

I try to think of something to say, but I find nothing. I say the one thing that I know won't get me punched or hit with more arrows.

"So, I hear you like anime?"

Her eyes light up and she acquires an almost creepy smile.

_(Insert transition here)_

"What? They're actually hitting it off?"

"I forgot that Tono is obsessed with Japanese culture…"

With things actually going well, everyone got bored. I mean, what's the fun in watching two people fangirl over anime? Well, at least two people you want to watch suffer.

"We're leaving."

The duo says as they sneakily make their getaway.

"Us too… Usa-chan and I are tired…"

Honey yawns, jumping up onto Mori's shoulders.

"You wanna go to my house and study?"

Haruhi asks Cho.

"Sure. I need to work on my math anyways. Seriously, how are you so good at it? Numbers make my head explode."

"It just takes practice."

The two pairs go their separate ways.

"Did you really leave sick the other day?"

"Hm?"

"It just seems a little odd. You looked perfectly fine before you left. Did you inhale too much cleaning stuff? I know that can make you nauseous."

"Yeah…"

Haruhi looks at Cho suspiciously, but continues walking.

_(Insert transition here)_

Somehow, I ended up sitting on a park bench, laughing with Renge. Honestly, I've never had more fun talking about Japanese culture with anyone.

"Y'know Tamaki, maybe you could make your princely character less fake with a darker side!"

A sweat drop forms above my head.

"Didn't we already try that?"

"Yeah, but that was to change your entire character. If we only add something without detracting from the original, we could have something great!"

"What do you mean?"

_I wonder why she's so into Japanese culture. Not that it's a bad thing, but I became obsessed because my dad introduced me to it._

"Maybe you could have a subtle hint of sadness in you speech, eyes and actions! That would drive the ladies mad!"

I chuckle.

"I guess I could try."

_I'm lonely. It's my only escape. I want someone to love me because-_

What? Is that Renge's voice?

"Alright, try it on me!"

I do as my instincts tell me. I grab her hand and stare deep into her eyes.

"Princess…"

I manage a small, almost unnoticeable crack in my voice and have invisible tears well in my eyes, just for a moment.

"Your beauty… it brings me to a loss of words."

A minor blush appears on her face before she jumps into the air.

"That was perfect!"

She yells happily before sitting back down.

_I have nobody else to. My father is the only person I have, and he works all the time._

"You really think so?"

How do I know that?

"Yes! Now you're sure to get more customers, I'm certain of it!"

We both look up at the sky, the sun is setting.

"Oh… it's getting late."

She mumbles under her breath.

"Thanks, Renge. I know you have to go, but I had a really good time."

I smile at her, and with a kiss on my cheek, she runs off. How did I know that?

_(Insert transition here)_

I'm walking home from Haruhi's. I'm sure to get at least a B in math now. I stare at the sky. It's getting dark. Hopefully I can get home before then so my mom doesn't freak out.

"Cho!"

I hear a voice behind me. I look behind me and am a little surprised to see Kaoru. I don't know whether to groan or gasp.

"What do you want?"

"Look, there's something that's been bugging me. About the other day-"

"I thought I told you to forget it and pretend it never-"

"It's not that! When you yelled out… how did you know I was Kaoru?"

I sigh.

"Just because your twins, doesn't mean-"

"No. None of that bullcrap. When Tamaki introduced us, he called us 'Hikaru and Kaoru'. So even if we looked completely different, there would be no way you could've told who was who!"

I'm frozen. My eyes widen. My fingers clench. There's complete silence for a few moments.

"Tch, I never expected there to be someone smart in that school full of pretty-boys."

I grab him by the shirt collar and stare deep into his eyes.

"Listen here, I know you and your little twin aren't normal either. So you keep quiet, I keep quiet, kapeesh?"

I release him from my grasp.

"What're you talking about?"

The idiot's still playing dumb. I pull a blade out of my pocket and lunge towards him. My wrist is grabbed from behind. I glance back and see Hikaru, as expected. I drop the weapon.

"Exactly as I thought."

Hikaru releases my hand and I walk away into the darkness. He's the one who knew.


End file.
